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[Stillsearching]

After a year of changing doses of HRT with almost continuous bleeding and no help from GP I decided to take a break. GP said just stop so I did from the 1st September so 60 days ago. In the beginning I felt much better and the bleeding has stopped but within a couple of weeks the hot flashes and night sweats with not sleeping (Can't think of the word) started and I now feel a bit dazed.

I've always been an active, sporty outdoor person. This morning I've been out sweeping up leaves and raking dead grass which should not be a problem but I felt so weak and breathless doing it then I burst into tears with no warning.

I have an appointment at the menopause clinic mid December but my new GP said that because of my age (59) it is not advisable to restart HRT.

Is this what life will be like from now on?

[Urbanchick]

You have my sympathy - I halved my dose about six weeks ago and am only now feeling the effects.  Same as you I am having hot flushes and insomnia with increased anxiety.     Hope the clinic are sympathetic.   You should at the very least, have given it up gradually to avoid the shock.

Good luck

[CLKD]

Nope.  You can request to discuss the pros and cons with your GP and explain that you cannot live with those symptoms.  That is it obvious that your menopause remains troublesome after a short break.

Let us know how you get on!

[Stillsearching]

I saw my new GP again last week. It was she who arranged an appointment with the menopause clinic at my first visit. She said I should have been referred sooner because of the bleeding and she won't prescribe anything until I've seen the specialist.She thinks they might want to do a scan and/or biopsy even though the bleeding stopped when I stopped taking the pills. I had a biopsy done 5 years ago, not pleasant. Both a hospital consultant and my old GP said to just stop taking the HRT, the new GP said I should have done it gradually. Everyone has their own opinions.

[CLKD]

Have a browse round.  Make notes.  Take a list of questions to the appt., so that you don't forget the important issues.

[Stillsearching]

The clinic I'm going to is led by one of the Panel at NICE who were responsible for the changes in guidelines and who has received payments from a drug company. I have mixed feelings about this.

[Ju Ju]

Good you are being checked out re the bleeding. Why on earth were you not checked out before!
I started HRT aged 60 having seen a gynaecologist recommended by my GP.

[Stillsearching]

Because my previous gp thought that by changing my prescription he could sort it. I lost faith in him, not just over this. DH and I have both moved to another surgery. We should have done it years ago. Good to know you started late. I was still having periods at 55 so don't know where I am.

[CLKD]

That's a Conflict of Interest unless it's a Training Programme or Research Grant.

[Stillsearching]

At the age of 55 I was still having regular, heavy and very painful periods. A female locum suggested the Mirena coil. At the same time I started having night sweats and incredibly painful joints. I was tearful and bad tempered. My GP prescribed SSRI anti depressants saying that there is no evidence that HRT helps with menopause symptoms  and quoting the results of the Million Women Study as the reason for not using HRT.  I took the anti depressants for a year but could see myself that they were causing me problems and not helping at all with menopause symptoms so I stopped them and went back and saw a different GP asking for HRT.

He agreed to give me Climaval. For 3 years I was almost symptom free but then it was time to remove the coil which was taken out last November. Before having it removed I discussed continuing HRT with GP and he decided to give me Climagest. I didn't realise that periods would return and they were heavy. After 3 months I asked for something else and was given Femoston conti 1mg/5mg plus 2mg Climaval. Bleeding and spotting started again at random stages of the month. GP said it was because the progesterone wasn't enough but there was nothing else he could prescribe. I suggested taking down the Climaval so we dropped it to 1mg . No change so we took the extra Climaval out and I took the Femoston Conti for 2 months but was still bleeding  so I decided to stop taking all HRT and see what happens. At the same time I changed my GP hoping for someone who is better informed, and she is. 

It has now been just over 8 weeks. I bled heavily for about 10 days then it stopped. I had a scan 12 months ago which showed everything was ok and I'm satisfied it was the HRT that was causing the bleeding. My new GP has said that due to my age I could have heart problems if I restart HRT. But I've just had an NHS health check and was told my risk of heart attack in the next 10 years is 3.89%. Pretty specific so one of the things I will want to ask is about the increased risk and what else I can do to mitigate it.

Who knows, by the time I go to the clinic this could all be over? 

[CLKD]

Your GP is out of date   

[Stillsearching]

Out of date about what? Heart problems?

[CLKD]

My new GP has said that due to my age I could have heart problems if I restart HRT

Is he basing this on any recent studies?   

How are you today?